The Lemon Index2010 Kia Optima.
The 2010 Kia Optima is better than average by owner complaints: 28 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 79, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 1 recall, and it gets 23 to 25 mpg combined. The best Kia Optima year is 2017.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 75 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Kia Optima year. 2010 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 38K to 80K miles on the car (61 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 59K–82K miles
- airbags complaints mostly came at 22K–88K miles
Recalls 1
- lights 2013
Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Kia told dealers about
Kia sent dealers 34 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- PITSTOP - BRAKE CALIPER LEAK INSPECTION - This PITSTOP provides information related to a brake…
- Ecm upgrade for improved shift quality-equipped with 2.4l engine and a/t
- Automatic transmission fluid application guide - this bulletin provides information relating
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- ClosedLoss of motive power2022–2023
- ClosedThrottle control system vulnerabilities2021–2023
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $2550–2800 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.4L 4-cyl, 2.7L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
When braking or not around 20 miles an hour car jerks forward.
2010 Kia Optima owner · NHTSA complaint 10490605
More owner reports
The car buckles when reducing your speed to around 20 mph. Also the rear seat door lock stopped working and my car is no longer under warranty and Kia wants to charge me around 700 dollars to fix it.
NHTSA complaint 10543322
Vehicle kicks from second gear to first gear when slowing down from 20mph.
NHTSA complaint 10503781
Quick answers
Is the 2010 Kia Optima reliable?
Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.3× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 79; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Kia Optima year by this measure is 2017.
What are the most common 2010 Kia Optima problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (57%), airbags (21%) and brakes (7%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2010 Kia Optima have?
1 safety recall (latest: lights). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2010 Kia Optima get?
23 to 25 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2010 Kia Optima problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 38,000 and 80,700 miles. The middle report was at 70,500 miles, from 61 complaints.
Does the 2010 Kia Optima have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 57% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2010 Kia Optima cost in fuel a year?
About $2550 to $2800 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2010 Kia Optima have?
2.4L 4-cyl, 2.7L 6-cyl.
What Kia Optima year is better than the 2010?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2017, 2019 and 2020.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works